Tool for drilling wells



Patented July 16, 1*89 H. H. MGLANE.

(No Model.)

TOOL POR DRILLING WELLS.

guna/who@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM H. MCLANE, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

TOOL FOR DRILLING WELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,028, dated July 16,1889. Application filed February 28, 1889. Serial No. 301,429. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIEAM II. MCLANE, a citizen of the United States,residingl at San Antonio, in the count-y of Bexar and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tools for Drilling orBoring \Vells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tools for drilling or boring Artesian, oil,and other deep wells; and it has for its object to prevent the loss ofthe drill or auger or of any portion of the drill-rods.

With this end iu view the invention consists in an improved means forconnecting the tool to the lower end of the drill-rod, as will behereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view showing the upper end of thedrill or auger. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the sameconnected to the adjoining section of the drill-rod. Fig. 3 is a sideview of the saine. Fig. 3A is a sectional view taken on the line .r ofFig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and G are detail views of the parts by which thecoupling or connection is effected. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail viewsillustrating various modificat-ions of my invention.

The same letters refer to the saine parts in all the figures.

A designates the upper end of the drill, which is provided with atapering screwthreaded portion B, from which extends a cylindricalportion C, in which is formed an annular groove D.

E represents the lower end of the drill-rod, which is provided with thetapering screwthreaded recess F and with the cylindrical socket G toadmit the cylindrical portion C of the tool. I would state at the outsetthat it is not necessary, either in this or in the modifiedconstructions to be hereinafter described, that the screw-threadedportion and the recess for the reception of the same should be tapered,as my invention will be equally applicable to tools in which thescrew-threaded portion is cylindrical; but I prefer the taperingconfiguration on account of the wellknown advantages possessed thereby.The

drill-rod F. is provided with a transverse opening H, communicating withthe recess or socket G and adapted to receive the screw-threaded plug orfollower I, having a longitudinal opening .I to receive the stem K ofthe follower L, which latter is provided with a curved recess N at itsfront end, adapted to enter and fit in the annular groove D of thecylindrical portion (l of the tool when the latter enters the socket G.The outer end of the longitudinal opening .I in the plug I is somewhatenlarged, as will be seen at Ni3 in Fig'. G of the drawings, so as toreceive a cylindrical nut O, which engages a screw-threaded key formedupon the shank K of the follower L. This screw-thread, it should benoted, is to be cut in a reverse direction to that of the(v threadformed exteriorly upon t-he plug I. Vhen the upper end of the drill A isscrewed to its seat in the lower end of the rod E,the follower L isadjusted in the opening II in such a manner as to enter the annulargroove D. The plug I is then adj listed upon the shank of the followerand screwed home in the opening II, thus forcing the follower into thegroove by bearing upon the shoulders P of the said follower. The nut Ois then adjusted upon the screw-threaded outer end of the stein K of thefollower and within the recess Nprepared for its reception in the plugI. The outer ends of the plug I and nut O should be flush with theoutside of the drill-rod, and they are to be provided with nicks ornotches, so as to be readily manipulated by means of an ordinaryscrew-driver. It will be seen that when the parts are in this positionit is impossible for the screw-threaded portion l of the drill to becomeloosened in its seat, thus making it impossible for the drill to becomeaccidentally detached from the drill-rod. Vhen, on the other hand, itshall be desired to detach the drill from the drillrod, it may be easilydone by partly unscrewing the plug' I, which will then carry with it thenut O and the follower, whichlatter may thus be withdrawn from theannular groove D without detaching it or its holding devices from thedrill-rod. The advantages resulting from this construction will bereadily understood, it being exceedingly simple and easily operated, andthe parts, being so arranged as to be capable of being operated withoutbeing detached, are not liable to be lost or misplaced.

IOO

By the modification shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings the follower I. isprovided at its outer end with a transverse T-shaped notch Q, adapted tobe engaged by the circular disk or button R, formed upon a shank S atthe inner end of a plug T, which works in the screwthreaded openin g Hin the drill-rod. The construction of the latter and of the other end of-the drill is precisely as hereinbefore described.

It will be seen that by this modification one of the parts-namely, thenut O-is dispensed with and the construction correspondingly simplified,the follower being forced in an outward as well as in an inwarddirection by the direct action of the screw-threaded plug T.

By the modification shown in Fig. S the follower L is provided with ayoke U, the ends of the arms of which are provided with lugs V, adaptedto take over a shoulder WV, formed at the outer end of thescrew-threaded plug X. The opening H, formed in the drill-rod for thereception of said plug, is provided on diametrically-opposite sides withrecesses Y Y to accommodate the yoke of the follower. The operation ofthis device is substantially the same as that of the foregoingmodification, the follower being actuated directly by the plug X. i

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understoodfrom the forelgoing description, taken in connection with th eaccompanying drawings.

I would state that I do not wish to confine myself to the precisedetails of construciion herein described, inasmuch as various othermodifications embodying the same principle might be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I would also state that by making various slight structural changeswhich will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art myinvention may be applied to many old tools of ordinary construction,thus avoiding much of the expense which would be occasioned by thepurchase of new outfits. By my invention it is made utterly impossiblefor the drill to become detached from its coupling, thereby avoiding thepossibility of losing the drill, the loss of time occasioned byendeavoring to extract lost drills, and the expense which is oftenoccasioned by the necessity of abandoning partially-finished wells onaccount of the loss therein of the drill and the impossibility ofrecovering the same.

It will be understood, of course, that this invention may be applied toshaft or rod couplings wherever such may be required, and that I do notlimit myself to its application to well-boring tools, as hereindescribed.

I am aware that drilling-tools have been constructed with a cylindricalannularlygrooved extension above the screw-threaded portion at theirupper ends to engage. the points of screws inserted through the walls'of the socket in the drill-rod for the purpose of connecting the partstogether. By my improvement the annular groove in the cylindricalextension is engaged by a follower operated by a screw, and inasmuch assaid follower may have a much wider bearing than the point of a screwthe device is rendered much more effective.

Having thus described my invention, I Claiinl. The combination, with adrill or well-boring tool or the like having a cylindrical annularly-grooved extension above its screwthreaded portion, of a socketformed for its reception in the lower end of the drill-rod, a transverseopening communicating with said socket, and a non-rotating followerarranged to slide in the said opening and to engage the annular groovein the upper cylindrical portion of the drill, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. The combination,with a drill or well-boring tool or the like having acylindrical annularlygrooved extension above the screwthreaded portionat its upper end, of a socket formed for its reception in the lower endof the drill-rod, a transverse opening connecting said socket with theouter side of the drill-rod, a screw-threaded plug moving in saidopening, and a non-rotating follower engaging the annular groove in thecylindrical portion of the drill, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a drill or shaft having a screw-threaded portionand an annular groove with a socket formed in the lower end of thedrill-rod, a transverse opening commu` nicating with said socket, anon-rotating follower sliding in said opening, so as to engage theannular groove in the drill, and having an outwardly-extending stemscrew-threaded at its outer end, a screw-.threaded plug moving in thetransverse opening and bearing at its inner end against the shoulders ofthe follower, and a cylindrical nut adjusted upon the outerscrew-threaded end of the stem and seated in a suitable recess formedfor its reception in the outer end of the plug, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a drill or shaftV having a screw-threadedportion and an annular groove, of a socket formed in the lower end ofthe drill-rod, a transverse opening communicating with said socket, afollower arranged to slide in said opening and adapted to engage theannular groove in the drill, and means for moving the said followerpositively in either an inward or outward direction, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM H. MCLANE.

Vitn esses:

L. D. DIBBLE, FRANCIS SMITH.

IOO

IIO

